(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . New Day Café: Ancient Rome [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-06 Ancient history is an impenetrable subject not least because we can never know, for example, what the average Roman citizen was thinking about any given subject. We can only guess from the writings we have left and from the remnants of their culture. Mt. Vesuvius helped our scholars even as it devastated whole cities. So what is Rome? How did it arise to become the empire it was? Well, I can’t answer that in a simple open diary; but we can look at some fun videos, at least. “Birth of Rome” [25:17] x September 13 509 BC: The temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus was dedicated. It was situated on Capitoline Hill, one of Rome's seven hills, and it overlooked the Roman Forum, making it a central and dominant structure in ancient Rome. The temple was dedicated to the Capitoline… pic.twitter.com/yKoUAis8W9 — Today in History (@HistoryNutOTD) September 13, 2023 Let’s start with a brief tour of the city. “What Ancient Rome Looked Like” [8:20] x The Pantheon in Rome, built in 125 AD, remains a marvel of ancient engineering. Originally a temple to all gods, its iconic dome, the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome, has stood for nearly two millennia, testifying to the enduring genius of Roman architecture pic.twitter.com/b5NkbZavNa — The Historical Lens (@HistoricalLens1) September 9, 2023 “Daily Life in Ancient Rome” [10:48] x The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheater located in the center of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built and is still the largest standing amphitheater in the world. Construction began under the emperor Vespasian in 72 AD… pic.twitter.com/XgWcT4uRpd — History in Threads (@Historyinthrds) September 12, 2023 Of course, the ancient Romans loved their bread. (We shall ignore circuses.) “The Bread of Ancient Rome” [12:17] x The Theatre of Marcellus is the oldest building for performances in ancient Rome, whose architecture is visible still today. Built at the behest of Emperor Julius Caesar, it served as a model for the construction of the Colosseum. 📸#47boutiquehotel #rome pic.twitter.com/3ReBBaKyEO — 47BoutiqueHotel (@47boutiquehotel) September 15, 2023 Romans also loved their public baths, and (I assume) their indoor plumbing, for those who had it. An elaborate system of aqueducts furnished the city with good, fresh water. “Roman Aqueducts: How Did They Work?” [14:17] x This shop, located near Forum, was Roman equivalent of a fast food restaurant. The popina was an ancient Roman wine bar, where a limited menu of simple foods (olives, bread, stews) and selection of wines of varying quality were available. (1st Century BC - 2nd Century AD) pic.twitter.com/d9n3mgmeo1 — Archaeo - Histories (@archeohistories) January 8, 2022 🦩🦩🦩 Because it wouldn’t be one of my “travel” diaries without a recipe or two, let’s look at a couple of modern Roman classics: Amatriciana and Cacio e Pepe [A]matriciana began to grow truly famous only after it arrived in Rome, where it became popular with the working-class clientele of the city’s inns and taverns. Luca Cesari, The Discovery of Pasta, p. 45 Bucatini all’Amatriciana Recipe is here. [6:56] x Ancient Roman mosaic of Triton with a Nereid and a Sea Monster (that looks like a Sea Tiger) from the Lyon Musee des Beaux Arts. 2nd Century BC. Photographer: Ken and Nyetta on Flickr via Wikimedia Commons. CCA 2.0. pic.twitter.com/udXWu02WuU — Archaeology & Art (@archaeologyart) October 15, 2022 Cacio e Pepe If I'm in Rome for only 48 hours, I would consider it a sin against God to not eat cacio e pepe, the most uniquely Roman of pastas…. Anthony Bourdain Recipe is here. [9:48] * 🦩 🦩 🦩 So c’mon in the café and grab a cuppa... x Italian cookies and coffee. 🤌🏼💜 pic.twitter.com/gYDlM2NXJ4 — Dana Storino (@StorinoDana) September 10, 2023 ...and a nice nosh... x Actually I prefer Italian butter cookies more than macaroons if they are freshly baked 😄 pic.twitter.com/F3KOwCVtdA — Posie (@PosiePosie1212) September 15, 2023 ...and join us! New Day Café is an open thread. What do you want to talk about today? [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/6/2191389/-New-Day-Caf-Ancient-Rome?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/